The detection and simulation of interactions with deformable objects is a relatively difficult but important problem in the field of simulation. For example, the actions of a surgeon are generally guided, to a large extent, by feeling or tactile feedback from the interaction between the surgeon's fingers or tools and the body tissue being operated upon. It would be useful, however, during surgical training, to use a deformable material as a substitute for human tissue, or other body parts, and to enable the teacher to monitor the characteristics of these interactions by the student in a non-intrusive manner.
Unfortunately, however, the attachment or insertion of sensors into objects that are intended to simulate tissue, such as, for example, ballistics gel, can affect the objects' stiffness and detract from the fidelity of the simulation. The insertion of sensors may also increase the cost of the objects, and decrease the simulation availability due to the need to swap out the objects between sessions. Interactions that require cutting the deformable objects can also damage the sensors. There is a need, therefore, for a method or system capable of tracking interactions with deformable objects that does not require attaching or inserting sensors into either the soft, deformable objects or the tools/objects that are interacting with them.